Neil Mitchell on scrappy win: It was abject in the second half

Stourbridge director of rugby Neil Mitchell has plenty to say after scrappy win over Bees

Stourbridge director of rugby Neil Mitchell was left with more questions than answers following this scrappy derby victory over Bees.

The National Two North leaders took maximum points but lost their way against a visiting team that refused to be overwhelmed by superior opponents.

In
fact, despite conceding three first half tries and a 25-3 interval lead, Bees drew the second period 7-7 and actually finished the stronger
– even though they had player-coach Rod Petty sinbinned.

All
that left Mitchell lamenting the fact that, when Stour should have been
turning the screw on their rivals, they lost their drive.

“It
was abject in the second half,” he said. “The call in the changing room
was to be ruthless in the second half because we did this against Harrogate. Some classy rugby in the first half and nothing in the second.

“We knew straight away what Bees were capable of delivering, which wasn’t fantastic, but we started the second half with a penalty, and missed it, and then spent
20 minutes defending.

“It wasn’t a rugby game, it wasn’t pleasant to watch. We were just in cruise
control – just like Harrogate. If you are going to be heading towards being champions, on your home ground, and with three tries, you must go and get four quickly.

Dominance

“We should have done that and then had the opportunity to play for [the final] 38 minutes with four tries in the bag and actually be ruthless against a side we could have been ruthless against but we were listless and needed a breakaway try just to
get the bonus point. Otherwise that would have been a four-point win.”

It
took Stour a quarter of the match to establish their dominance as they starved Bees of possession and eventually breached the defensive dam.

Jamie
Hearn, who landed five of his seven shots at goal, made Bees skipper Will Radburn pay for straying offside when he made it 3-0 in the ninth minute.

The visitors responded soon after and Stour centre Ben Barkley must have considered himself fortunate to have merely been penalised rather than yellow-carded for a late hit on Adam Canning. The Bees fly half picked himself up and levelled from 40 metres.

It
was becoming an increasingly rare foray into home territory, however, and midway through the period Stour finally picked up their first two tries.

Even so. there was an element of luck to both. With Stour on the attack, scrum-half Peter White arrowed a poor pass at Jordan Page’s feet only for the hooker’s half-volley to land in goal.

Page scuttled through the line and beat Rob Connolly to the touchdown. Hearn missed the extras.

A
similar thing happened soon afterwards as Gary Dipple’s pass was prodded over the try-line by Stefan Shillingford. Just as Page had, the centre regained the loose ball. Hearn’s conversion made it 15-3.

Dipple
then started and finished his team’s third as he sliced past Bees’ Michael Stephens in the 22. The attack was supported by White and Nigel Mukurati and quick recycling had Dipple crashing over.

Hearn converted then added a penalty on the final play of the half as the hosts built a healthy 25-3 interval lead.

After
the resumption Bees centre Steve Leach was penalised for coming in at the side and offered Hearn the chance to extend his team’s advantage.

Converted

The wing pulled his effort across the face of the posts and Stour had to wait until 15 minutes to go before scoring again.

Petty
was sin-binned for killing the ball ten minutes in, yet the Australian’s team-mates managed to score their first try with him off the field.

Hearn was penalised for running in front of White’s clearance and Bees went for the corner.

The lineout was taken in the middle and Rob Connolly was nudged over the line. Canning converted for 25-10.

On
65 minutes Mitchell would have breathed sigh of relief when a kick through the Bees’ defence sat up nicely for Matt Farrington to race clear. Hearn improved the score.

But
even with a try bonus in the bag Stour continued to fret and Bees should have narrowed the deficit with several catch-and-drive chances.